# When I say "God," do you picture a man or a woman or something else? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 7, 2012, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-say-god-do-you-picture-a-man-or-a-woman-or-something-else/615075 "2012-03-07T22:28:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Osiris\_the\_1st](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9de0a6/32.png) [@Osiris\_the\_1st](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Osiris_the_1st)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-say-god-do-you-picture-a-man-or-a-woman-or-something-else/615075/61 "2012-03-16T14:12:49Z")
Q from Star Trek ---
**Author:** ![Osiris\_the\_1st](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9de0a6/32.png) [@Osiris\_the\_1st](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Osiris_the_1st)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-say-god-do-you-picture-a-man-or-a-woman-or-something-else/615075/62 "2012-03-16T14:16:34Z")
I find it interesting that it seems that “God” has become an amorphous, abstract kind of idea, when historically most cultures had very specific ideas of their gods personalities and physical appearances. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-say-god-do-you-picture-a-man-or-a-woman-or-something-else/615075/63 "2012-03-16T14:17:00Z")
> [@Arnold\_Winkelried](#): > > But does God have a penis or a vulva? S/He has both…which might explain how S/He created Her/Himself. ---
**Author:** ![BestWifeEver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/838e76/32.png) [@BestWifeEver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BestWifeEver)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2012, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-say-god-do-you-picture-a-man-or-a-woman-or-something-else/615075/64 "2012-03-16T15:01:20Z")
Alanis Morissette 😃 ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-say-god-do-you-picture-a-man-or-a-woman-or-something-else/615075/65 "2012-03-20T15:21:14Z")
If God doesn’t look like this I’ll be disappointed. [![](http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Film/Pix/pictures/2008/12/18/MOSES460.jpg) ](http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Film/Pix/pictures/2008/12/18/MOSES460.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-say-god-do-you-picture-a-man-or-a-woman-or-something-else/615075/66 "2012-03-20T15:26:20Z")
The First Church of Elvis. Finally a religion I can believe in. [http://jubal.westnet.com/hyperdiscordia/sacred\_heart\_elvis.html](http://jubal.westnet.com/hyperdiscordia/sacred_heart_elvis.html) ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-say-god-do-you-picture-a-man-or-a-woman-or-something-else/615075/67 "2012-03-20T16:42:20Z")
> [@MostlyClueless](#): > > I picture a non-gender-specific asshole. Kind of a cosmic drill instructor? Always keeping you on edge, off center, and out of your depth? I know that God. I could almost believe in that God, except I could never worship hi/r. ---
**Author:** ![Find\_Friends](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@Find\_Friends](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Find_Friends)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2012, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-say-god-do-you-picture-a-man-or-a-woman-or-something-else/615075/68 "2012-03-20T17:43:34Z")
> [@mrchat33](#): > > Why is there so much confusion …? … Um, because there are so many confused religious apologists running around? 😉 > [@mrchat33](#): > > … For more Truth go to, [theTrumpet.com](http://theTrumpet.com) and Understand Your World. Wouldn’t that be [_ **The Plain Truth** _](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Plain_Truth)? > [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Ah, godspam. Amen! ---
**Author:** ![monavis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e0b2c6/32.png) [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-say-god-do-you-picture-a-man-or-a-woman-or-something-else/615075/69 "2012-03-21T11:36:20Z")
> [@smaje1](#): > > I totally picture God as depicted on “The Simpsons.” But as I no longer believe in a Christian God, I feel like I should train myself to picture some nebulous, asexual being-thingy. > > What image comes to mind when you hear the word “God”? Since God is invisible,it would not look like anything,just as you can’t see the wind. The Word God means many things to many people, to me it means “what is”, not’ a’ being but being. ---
**Author:** ![Jorow99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ed655f/32.png) [@Jorow99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jorow99)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-say-god-do-you-picture-a-man-or-a-woman-or-something-else/615075/70 "2012-03-21T19:01:31Z")
I recently attended a presentation about the scientific evidence of God by a particle physicist from Oklahoma University. After hearing his presentation, it seems to take more faith to not believe in God than to believe. If you would like a copy of his paper (I highly suggest it) feel free to email me at [jweber92@hotmail.com](mailto:jweber92@hotmail.com) I was an atheist before attending this presentation, but no more. Anyway, when I think of God, I think of a father-like being who is looking out for my best interests, sitting somewhere I can’t quite reach. ---
**Author:** ![Scholar\_Beardpig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@Scholar\_Beardpig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scholar_Beardpig)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-say-god-do-you-picture-a-man-or-a-woman-or-something-else/615075/71 "2012-03-21T19:06:53Z")
Me, I picture some kind of Vedic being - six arms, bright blue, symbolic things all a-hand, that sort of fellow. Yeah, pretty much I picture Vishnu, like in this picture here: [http://www.google.com/imgres?q=Vishnu&um=1&hl=en&safe=off&sa=N&biw=1600&bih=799&tbm=isch&tbnid=KBXZri27o0R-RM:&imgrefurl=http://aspiretoyou.com/2011/03/meditation-on-lord-vishnu/&docid=U-tgIu6L9WEpIM&imgurl=http://aspiretoyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Vishnu.jpg&w=468&h=672&ei=4CVqT4LHDor1sQKCobCQCQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=502&vpy=151&dur=284&hovh=269&hovw=187&tx=112&ty=109&sig=100955739354199016194&sqi=2&page=1&tbnh=140&tbnw=72&start=0&ndsp=41&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:0](http://www.google.com/imgres?q=Vishnu&um=1&hl=en&safe=off&sa=N&biw=1600&bih=799&tbm=isch&tbnid=KBXZri27o0R-RM:&imgrefurl=http://aspiretoyou.com/2011/03/meditation-on-lord-vishnu/&docid=U-tgIu6L9WEpIM&imgurl=http://aspiretoyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Vishnu.jpg&w=468&h=672&ei=4CVqT4LHDor1sQKCobCQCQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=502&vpy=151&dur=284&hovh=269&hovw=187&tx=112&ty=109&sig=100955739354199016194&sqi=2&page=1&tbnh=140&tbnw=72&start=0&ndsp=41&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:0) And I’m not even a Hindu! (As a Theravadin, my main man is Sakkha) ---
**Author:** ![Alonzo\_John\_Blitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@Alonzo\_John\_Blitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alonzo_John_Blitz)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-say-god-do-you-picture-a-man-or-a-woman-or-something-else/615075/72 "2012-03-21T19:46:03Z")
I always liked the line from a Don Rickles routine: “…tall, blond guy with a ‘G’ on the pocket.” Alternatively. from Alan Watts, and not strictly an image: “…the which than which there is no whicher.” Both still fill me with glee and wonder. ---
**Author:** ![Pessemist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/97f17d/32.png) [@Pessemist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pessemist)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-say-god-do-you-picture-a-man-or-a-woman-or-something-else/615075/73 "2012-03-21T21:29:01Z")
God created man in his own image… Pesse (Um, why does God need feet and hands?) Mist ---
**Author:** ![Docta\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2bfe46/32.png) [@Docta\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Docta_G)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-say-god-do-you-picture-a-man-or-a-woman-or-something-else/615075/74 "2012-03-21T21:40:02Z")
> [@Alonzo\_John\_Blitz](#): > > Alternatively. from Alan Watts, and not strictly an image: “…the which than which there is no whicher.” Watts ripped off Anselm. ---
**Author:** ![monavis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e0b2c6/32.png) [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-say-god-do-you-picture-a-man-or-a-woman-or-something-else/615075/75 "2012-03-22T11:14:06Z")
> [@Jorow99](#): > > I recently attended a presentation about the scientific evidence of God by a particle physicist from Oklahoma University. After hearing his presentation, it seems to take more faith to not believe in God than to believe. If you would like a copy of his paper (I highly suggest it) feel free to email me at [jweber92@hotmail.com](mailto:jweber92@hotmail.com) I was an atheist before attending this presentation, but no more. > > Anyway, when I think of God, I think of a father-like being who is looking out for my best interests, sitting somewhere I can’t quite reach. Your thoughts of God then are not like the God of the Bible, if a human father treated his children like God is said to do,(picking out one group to kill the other), or innocent children etc. because one disobeyed him is not my idea of a good father, and one who would have a cruel monster it created, harm it’s children, or make bets with one, then kill off the man’s family to prove a point to a monster (he could well have destroyed) doesn’t sound like a loving father,but one who carea about some of his children and not others.The human father would be put in jail! Of course you have the right to your beliefs and if it helps you to be a better person…fine. It just isn’t my kind of a father that I would want. ---
**Author:** ![Find\_Friends](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@Find\_Friends](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Find_Friends)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2012, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-say-god-do-you-picture-a-man-or-a-woman-or-something-else/615075/76 "2012-03-22T15:25:50Z")
> [@Arnold\_Winkelried](#): > > But does God have a penis or a vulva? > I’ve heard of Trinitarians and Unitarians before, but never of Dualitarians! Check [this](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binitarianism#Contrast_with_Trinitarians) out, then. _ **- The One, the Only, True Blue Jack** _ (Accept no substitutes!) ---
**Author:** ![monavis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e0b2c6/32.png) [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-say-god-do-you-picture-a-man-or-a-woman-or-something-else/615075/77 "2012-03-23T11:52:22Z")
> [@monavis](#): > > Your thoughts of God then are not like the God of the Bible, if a human father treated his children like God is said to do,(picking out one group to kill the other), or innocent children etc. because one disobeyed him is not my idea of a good father, and one who would have a cruel monster it created, harm it’s children, or make bets with one, then kill off the man’s family to prove a point to a monster (he could well have destroyed) doesn’t sound like a loving father,but one who carea about some of his children and not others.The human father would be put in jail! Of course you have the right to your beliefs and if it helps you to be a better person…fine. It just isn’t my kind of a father that I would want. If one can’t believe (or doesn’t ) then there is no faith to begin with.Faith and belief are the same thing.If you don’t believe then you have no faith in a particular thing,religion or other thing. It doesn’t take faith to not believe. ---
**Author:** ![Imago](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/85e7bf/32.png) [@Imago](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imago)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2012, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-say-god-do-you-picture-a-man-or-a-woman-or-something-else/615075/78 "2012-03-24T17:19:37Z")
I generally picture something like what you’d see looking into a kaleidoscope. I neither do drugs nor believe in god. > [@PandaBear77](#): > > I’ve always pictured a guy with brown hair, wearing a lab coat. Where on earth is this from? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-i-say-god-do-you-picture-a-man-or-a-woman-or-something-else/615075.md?page=3)